The Queen/ DoE : news & photo's

[karma chamelion]

I don't want to sound cold, and Woods Farm is indeed a special place, but after being married for 73 years there are memories galore in all places. I expect Balmoral held a very certain poignancy as part of their honeymoon was spent there. Windsor, Buck House and Sandringham are all evocative. It was always going to be a tough year, whenever Phillip passed.

You have a point there for sure - but I think this was maybe the place where he could be "Philipp" and she "Elizabeth". I might romanticize that too much, but I guess when you live in Buckingham Palace and Windsor you have all the staff, officies, ... and you are basically playing a role.
Think of the French kings in Versailles who build the small castles into the garden just to have some "me time".

I think you hit the nail on the head, Wood Farm and Sandringham are more personal whereas the other residences are more formal and for public consumption. Balmoral and Birkhall are just a touch more formal and so don't feel as intimate. These are the places tied up with her very young years with the most important men in her life. It is romantic and sentimental, there's nothing wrong with that.

[LadyBunion]

I think this was maybe the place where he could be "Philipp" and she "Elizabeth". I might romanticize that too much, but I guess when you live in Buckingham Palace and Windsor you have all the staff, officies, ... and you are basically playing a role.
 

This is an interesting thought. Also the Queen is 95. This world is all she knows. Perhaps it started as playing a role when she was younger but after these many years, I think she is who she is all the time, no matter who is around. I wonder if it’s still possible to separate Elizabeth and the Queen after 70 years.

probably not - there really isn't anyone around who can treat her as a human being, or knew her from the days when she was not Queen - Pss Margaret, Philip, Margaret Rhodes etc etc - I suspect she is quite lonely and just marking time.

[Hester]

I think this was maybe the place where he could be "Philipp" and she "Elizabeth". I might romanticize that too much, but I guess when you live in Buckingham Palace and Windsor you have all the staff, officies, ... and you are basically playing a role.
 

This is an interesting thought. Also the Queen is 95. This world is all she knows. Perhaps it started as playing a role when she was younger but after these many years, I think she is who she is all the time, no matter who is around. I wonder if it’s still possible to separate Elizabeth and the Queen after 70 years.

probably not - there really isn't anyone around who can treat her as a human being, or knew her from the days when she was not Queen - Pss Margaret, Philip, Margaret Rhodes etc etc - I suspect she is quite lonely and just marking time.

You simply wouldn’t be “marking time” with all those gorgeous great-grandchildren on tap though! My thesis is that she’s still active, engaged, has her marbles, is still working - and currently has a challenging project,dealing with a delinquent grandson. I wouldn’t underestimate the Queen’s vigour. Moments of sorrow and commemoration need not spoil her existence….

[luvcharles]

I think this was maybe the place where he could be "Philipp" and she "Elizabeth". I might romanticize that too much, but I guess when you live in Buckingham Palace and Windsor you have all the staff, officies, ... and you are basically playing a role.
 

This is an interesting thought. Also the Queen is 95. This world is all she knows. Perhaps it started as playing a role when she was younger but after these many years, I think she is who she is all the time, no matter who is around. I wonder if it’s still possible to separate Elizabeth and the Queen after 70 years.

probably not - there really isn't anyone around who can treat her as a human being, or knew her from the days when she was not Queen - Pss Margaret, Philip, Margaret Rhodes etc etc - I suspect she is quite lonely and just marking time.

She does still have cousins who knew her as a young princess - e.g. The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra (the Duke of Gloucester and Prince Michael as well although she was an older young princess when they were born.

[anneboleyn]

and currently has a challenging project,dealing with a delinquent grandson.

I think dealing with her absolute mess of a son should be the bigger project.

[Lady Liebe]

I think this was maybe the place where he could be "Philipp" and she "Elizabeth". I might romanticize that too much, but I guess when you live in Buckingham Palace and Windsor you have all the staff, officies, ... and you are basically playing a role.
 

This is an interesting thought. Also the Queen is 95. This world is all she knows. Perhaps it started as playing a role when she was younger but after these many years, I think she is who she is all the time, no matter who is around. I wonder if it’s still possible to separate Elizabeth and the Queen after 70 years.

probably not - there really isn't anyone around who can treat her as a human being, or knew her from the days when she was not Queen - Pss Margaret, Philip, Margaret Rhodes etc etc - I suspect she is quite lonely and just marking time.

You simply wouldn’t be “marking time” with all those gorgeous great-grandchildren on tap though! My thesis is that she’s still active, engaged, has her marbles, is still working - and currently has a challenging project,dealing with a delinquent grandson. I wouldn’t underestimate the Queen’s vigour. Moments of sorrow and commemoration need not spoil her existence….

HM has never struck me as maudlin in any way. As luvcharles points out she does have contemporaries among the Gloucesters and Kents, with whom she remembers earlier times. Then there are her children, grandchildren and increasing tribe of great grands who keep her looking to the future. I suspect they are, barring any Covid restrictions, making sure she has plenty of company.

I am sure she misses Phillip and always will. But she is a trooper, and has sworn to fulfill her duty and dedicate her life to service. That may actually be helping her along now. She is also known for her ability to compartmentalize, and it also served her well on many occasions.

[fairy]

Of course she misses Philipp, and she is mourning him. She also mourns the loss of her parents ( so many years ago).
But and IMO that's a rather big BUT: her family life, her entire life was almost incomparable to that of any other person.
Perhaps comparable to generations long gone: IMO the kind of family life that seems normal to us, that being part of a group with all the compromises and getting along and around has never been her life. She has been used to being alone, waited on by people who maintained a friendly but formal distance, she is used to deciding where she wants to stay at what given time, and I honestly presume, that Philipp was much like her.
The fact that he moved to Wood farm at the extremely ripe age of 95, instead of staying with her IMO shows some level of independence, both maintained. And that I assume helps.
I compare that to two elderly friends, one who lost her husband of many years quite suddenly and who felt the loss in every moment, every room, every meal, every going to sleep and waking up. Missing his things in their closet and bathroom, his glasses in living room etc.
The other lady lost her husband after several years of him living in assistant living due to his ailment. Her house, her daily routine had shifted to suit her and he hadn't been included in every minute detail.

[Hester]

Of course she misses Philipp, and she is mourning him. She also mourns the loss of her parents ( so many years ago).
But and IMO that's a rather big BUT: her family life, her entire life was almost incomparable to that of any other person.
Perhaps comparable to generations long gone: IMO the kind of family life that seems normal to us, that being part of a group with all the compromises and getting along and around has never been her life. She has been used to being alone, waited on by people who maintained a friendly but formal distance, she is used to deciding where she wants to stay at what given time, and I honestly presume, that Philipp was much like her.
The fact that he moved to Wood farm at the extremely ripe age of 95, instead of staying with her IMO shows some level of independence, both maintained. And that I assume helps.
I compare that to two elderly friends, one who lost her husband of many years quite suddenly and who felt the loss in every moment, every room, every meal, every going to sleep and waking up. Missing his things in their closet and bathroom, his glasses in living room etc.
The other lady lost her husband after several years of him living in assistant living due to his ailment. Her house, her daily routine had shifted to suit her and he hadn't been included in every minute detail.

She might keep a distance from servants - but not staff. I know the niece of one of her closest longterm staffers and I have it from her they (Queen and the staffer) were fast friends and on on nickname terms…

[luvcharles]

The Queen doesn't have 'servants'. She only has 'staff'. She herself insists on that term being used from the newest housemaid right up to her private secretary - they are all 'staff'.

[Aubiette]

Nice to see her looking well.

Queen is spotted driving in Norfolk after making special trip to Sandringham
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